Cymbal spinner

ABSTRACT

A manually operated cymbal spinner is provided with a handle, an arm fixed to and extending generally radially outwardly from the handle, means mounted at the outer end of the arm for fixedly securing the cymbal to the arm, and a rotatable sleeve mounted on the handle; the sleeve to be held by an operator when the cymbal is being spun. In a preferred embodiment the arm is fixed near the top of the handle and extends outwardly at a downwardly extending obtuse angle slightly greater than 90*.

United StatS Patent 1 Jones [54] CYMBAL SPINNER [76] Inventor: Russell'J ones, 927 Stocker, Flint,

Mich. 48803 22 Filed: 7 "March 8,1912 21 Appl.No.:232,697

52 us. c|'...., ..s4/4o2 51 Int. Cl. ..G0ld 13/08 7 [58] Field OfSearch... ..'..84/402, 422

[56] References Cited OTHER PUBLICATIONS Avedis Zildjian Cymbaland AcCessory Catalog,

Avedis Zildjian Company-North Quincy, Mass,

1 Jan. 16,1973

Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R.Franklin AttorneyRobert C. Hauke et al.

r [57] ABSTRACT A manually operated cymbal spinner is provided withahandle, an arm fixed to and extending generally radially outwardly fromthe handle, means mounted at the outer end of the arm for fixedlysecuring the cymbal to the arm, and a rotatable sleeve mounted on thehandle; the sleeve to be held by an operator when the cymbal is beingspun. In a preferred embodiment the arm is fixed near the top of thehandle and extends outwardly at a downwardly extending obtuse angleslightly greater than 90.

- 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAH 16 I973 33. 710.669

/\\/ I llllll l m CYMBAL SPINNER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is thecustom for musical bands to enhance their' entertainment potential withvarious displays colorful uniforms; intricate maneuvers; baton twirling,high stepping drum majors; and the like. Although percussion deviceshave received their share of attention, improvements have generally beenin the field of controlled sound effects and convenience of use ratherthan in the field of visual effects. 7

Gladstone in U.S. Pat. No. 1,647,795 for example, described a cymbaloperating device in which cymbals are held in a pair of pivoted handlesin a manner such that a portion of each of two cymbals are in directcontact with each other and a hollow sound is produced by bringing thebalance of the cymbals areas into contact. In British Pat. No. 222,802(1924) there is described a foot operated device which moves a singlecymbal into an active or into an inactive position relative to a beaterhead.

In the field of spinning Harrold et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 2,812,683,describes a baton with a swivelly attached handle which permitsof thespinning of the baton at a rapid speed without a high degree of skill onthe part of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a cymbalspinner, the latter permitting, by a slight movement of the wrist of thecymbal player, a cymbal to spin rapidly around a handle making for aflashing visual display. Such display can be used to highlight fieldpresentations by a band. The cymbal spinning device of the inventioncomprises: (a) a handle, (b) an arm fixed to and extending generallyradially outwardly from the handle, (c) means mounted at the outer endof the arm for fixedly securing the cymbal thereto, and (d) a sleevemember rotatably mounted on a portion of the handle and adapted to beheld manually by an operator when the cymbal is being spun. In apreferred embodiment, the sleeve envelopes substantially all the handlebelow'the arm and the arm is fixed near the upper end of the handle andforms therewith a downwardly extending obtuse angle slightly larger than90.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. -1 is a perspective view of a cymbalprovided with the cymbal spinner of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the cymbalspinner of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the device of FIG. 2 in a slightlymodified form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, acylindrical handle is provided with a rotatable sleeve 12. The sleeve 12is held on the handle 10 by a washer l4 and a screw 16.

An arm 18 is secured by threads 20 near the top of handle 10 and extendsgenerally radially outwardly, but slightly angularly upwardly, to form adownwardly extending angle slightly greater than 90 .(see FIG.'2)., Theterms top, down and downwardIy,-as used herein, refer to directions inthe structure as shown in the drawings WI'lICh IS the same position inwhich an operator holds the handle 10 in normal use. The downwardlyextending angle made by the arm 18 with the handle 10 is made slightlymore than for example about in order to provide clearance between thespinning cymbals and the hands and arms of the operator". If said angleis too small the cymbals may strike the operators arms and if said angleis too large the cymbals will be in an awkward position when beingstruck against each other in the usual manner.

The outer end of the arm 18 is provided with a threaded portion 22 overwhich is positioned the cymbal 24 between plastic or fiber washers 26,28; the latter positioned between metal washers 30, 32. Thewasher-cymbal assembly is held on the threaded portion 22 by nut 34. i IThe arm 18 can be held more rigidly in handle 10 by use of a screw 36(FIG. 3) extending axially down from the top of the handle 10 to bearagainst arm threaded portion 20. It will be apparent, however, that arm18 can be fixed in handle 10 by any suitable means, such as by a pressfit, for example; or handle 12 and arm 18 can be made as a unitarystructure.

DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION In normal use of the cymbals, that is, tostrike them against each other; the operator grasps the handle 10 in amanner such that his thumb and forefinger press against, or are partlywrapped around, the arm 18. This prevents the handle 10 from rotatingrelative to the sleeve 12. When spinning the cymbal, the operator graspsonly the sleeve 12 and maintains the spin by a slight movement of hiswrist. Spinning is most easily accomplished by holding the cymbals aloftfor the reason that straightening the arms upwardly minimizes thepossibility of contact between a cymbal and the operators am.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the inventionpertains that various changes nd modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of theappended claims.

lclaim:

1. A cymbal spinning device comprising: (a) a handle, (b) an arm fixedto and extending generally radially outwardly from said handle, (c)means mounted at .the outer end of said arm for fixedly securing acymbal thereto, and (d) a sleeve member rotatably'mounted on a portionof said handle and adapted to be held manually by an operator when saidcymbal is being spun. V

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said arm is fixed near theupper end of said handle .and said sleeve envelopes substantially allsaid handle below said arm.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said arm forms with saidhandle a downwardly extending obtuse angle slightly larger than 90. 1

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein said arm is fixed near theupper end of said handle and forms therewith a downwardly extendingobtuse angle slightly larger than 90, and wherein said sleeve envelopessubstantially all said handle below said arm.

' Patent 3,710,669 Dated January 16, 1973 I Inventor(s) Russell Jones Itis certified that error appears in the aboveand that said Letters Patentare hereby corrected as Column 1, line 5, after "various",

identified patent shown below:

insert -visual-.

Column 2, "line 40, delete "nd" I and insert --and Signed and sealedthis 13th day of November 1973 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR.

RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents FORMeq-msbflo-es) USCOMM-DC O370P6Q r us. GOVERNMENT PRINTING QFFgcs: 19gbo-aqs-aad UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo. .71 Dated January 16, 1973 I. Invent0r(s) Russell Jones It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 5, after "various", insert -visual-.

Column 2, "line 40, delete "nd" and insert --v-and Signed and sealedthis l3th -day of November 1973.

" (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHERQJR. I RENE .D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer 1 ActingCommissioner of Patents FORM -ms o 10-69)

1. A cymbal spinning device comprising: (a) a handle, (b) an arm fixedto and extending generally radially outwardly from said handle, (c)means mounted at the outer end of said arm for fixedly securing a cymbalthereto, and (d) a sleeve member rotatably mounted on a portion of saidhandle and adapted to be held manually by an operator when said cymbalis being spun.
 2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said arm isfixed near the upper end of said handle and said sleeve envelopessubstantially all said handle below said arm.
 3. The device according toclaim 1 wherein said arm forms with said handle a downwardly extendingobtuse angle slightly larger than 90*.
 4. The device according to claim1 wherein said arm is fixed near the upper end of said handle and formstherewith a downwardly extending obtuse angle slightly larger than 90*,and wherein said sleeve envelopes substantially all said handle belowsaid arm.